Turkey checks CCTV for clues in missing Saudi journalist case

Turkish investigators are examining CCTV footage showing the moment missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi entered the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul and the movements of a team suspected of involvement in his disappearance.

Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor, vanished on October 2 after entering the consulate to obtain official documents ahead of his marriage to his Turkish fiancee.

His fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, made an appeal to US President Donald Trump in an opinion piece for the Washington Post on Tuesday, calling on him to “help shed light on Jamal’s disappearance”.

Government sources said at the weekend that police believed Khashoggi was killed by a team specially sent to Istanbul and thought to consist of 15 Saudis.

CCTV released on Wednesday by Turkish TV showed a man believed to be Khashoggi enter the consulate as well as a vehicle of interest entering and leaving the building after Khashoggi went inside.

But Riyadh insisted the 59-year-old journalist had left the building and the murder claims were “baseless”.

Khashoggi, a former Saudi government adviser, had been living in the United States since last year fearing arrest.